Music : Over the Years

As we all know, music has changed a lot in it's history, especially over the last 50 years. It has undergone radical changes. Do you think music has chaged for the better? Where will it go in the future? Are artists losing their creativity?
What is your opinion?

Interesting thought. Sometimes, probably in a naive sort of way, I wonder how much longer musicians (and authors, in regards to books) can continue to write original songs. At the same time, there are some truly creative minds in the world that I believe will take what exists and mold it into a new idea or approach.

I think music has changed for the better over time. Looking back 50 years, I think music wasn't anywhere near as wide-ranging as it is now. Music has come a long way, I believe.

I hope I don't get bashed for saying this, but I feel that in the last few years (perhaps longer!), popular music has definatly taken a nose dive. I remember watching a rerun of last year's MTV awards recently and I was shocked that none of 'artists' nominated actually played insturments. Rather, they sang and performed dance routines on elaborately designed sets. Seemed a bit strange to me, and sad.

Are they losing their creativity? I don't think so....I just think that they are putting their creativity toward different aspects of thier acts. Rather than experiement with different musical sounds, it seems like most popular artists these days are more concerned with constructing a bigger and better theatrical production in which to present the same old music.

Just my two cents. No offense to those who are serious fans of today's popular music....I do not mean to imply that it is horrible or not music. I suppose I am just a nostolgic old fart wishing for the days when artists experimented with their instruments, rather than their dance routines.

Sadly, I don't think music is wholly original anymore. Sure, every once in a while a new artist comes along bringing an entirely fresh flavor to the scence. However many artists today rely on beats and samples from past music.

commercialism has changed music dramatically. nowadays, true talent is often overlooked in favor of "trendy" or more "marketable" music.
-- Thanks to channels such as MTV and VH1, the more popular music videos that show off better looking people who may not have musical talent get the spotlight. People tend to focus on those who look good and have over-produced music and is hard to duplicate live. They get the general sales. Bands that don't look that good tend to be ignored, and now-a-days in music videos, everything seems to be about money.

Yes.....and Britney's male counterparts (clones) N'Synch. This was the group I saw perform at the MTV awards that I mentioned above, and I just couldn't believe the glitz, glammer and elaboration that went into making them look good. It seemed like their fame rested on the quality of the stage design and their choreography rather than their music.

This is what makes me sad....it seems like popular music is no longer about music, but as Carosel mentioned, but more about who looks good and who's show contains the most pyrotechnics.

EDIT: I don't think MTV has ruined the business.....just changed it.

Before MTV, we judged artists on their music because the main medium was radio and records. Now, with the medium of television thrown in the mix, artists have to be more concerned with the image which they present.

There have always been crappy bands. For every Beatles there was a Monkeys. Over time people forget the crap and remember only the good bands, though I think in recent times the scale has shifted in favor of the crap. It doesn't particularly matter to me, as there are so many incredible bands in the world right now that I never get sick of going to shows and looking for new music.

*sigh* It seems like everyone in my school likes the same type of music. And when I say that I don't watch MTV, they look at me like I've sprouted horns. Today's music just seems so repetitive to me. All the boy bands singing about the perfect girl, all those rappers demanding respect...I've found myself exchanging the "new music" radio station in favor of one that plays 80s rock. But hey, that's just me.

Snuggles, you are aren't the only one. I don't watch MTV (I saw the awards shows at a friend's house) and I constantly search other areas of the world (Ireland = The Corrs!) for music because popular American music just leaves me lacking.

I think it is that whole "not playing instruments" thing...as a musician, that kinda offends me ("you make all of this money, yet you have never played a note?!" ). Again, not saying that all of today's artists do not play instruments, I am just speaking generally.

I definitely think it has taken a nose dive. Everything is marketed and prepackaged to death into a neat little category...I mean, how many kinds of metal are there?

It seemed like in the 60's and 70's there was a lot more experimentation and variety than there is now, but that's just me. Would Clapton or Hendrix, had they been at the beginning of their career now, have rose to the level that they did regarding popularity? I doubt it.

Sometimes it makes me sick that I continually see bands made up solely of vocalists who don't even write original material get constant exposure while about 1 in 15 people I talk to has ever heard of Steve Vai, Dream Theater, Yngwie Malmsteen, etc.

I used to love Metallica when they did complex, 6-9 minute long songs with multiple instrumental tracks, time changes, etc. But lately it's MTV-type junk.

But I guess that's the way things are. We're obsessed with image over substance. And it's let the music industry spoon-feed us what THEY want us to listen to, what some corporate suit deems "marketable."

I don't watch MTV and hardly ever listen to the radio anymore. I have a huge and eclectic music collection which I draw from, and it's rare I hear anything new which really grips me.

I was discussing this with my friend just the other day. We were saying that we had reached that point in our lives where we don't like every bit of new music that comes our way. Often, instead of turning on the radio, we opt to listen to a CD. When our favorite artists release a new album, we buy that. But we don't buy every album of every artist, new and old, because we simply don't like the majority of music anymore.

I've come to realize, though, that this isn't only because of age or because my tastes have changed. It's, like it has been said, due somewhat to the fact that popular music today has taken a big fall on the quality meter. Yes, MTV absolutely promotes this. I never watch MTV, unless there is a specific event or such on that I know of in advance.

I love music so much. I really don't want to be "out of it" in popular music for the rest of my life. I want to be able to enjoy new music. But, unless something changes and things move off the track they're on now, I don't see that as a possibility.

I've got a question to pose to this group...
How do you feel music will evolve in the next 10 years? Many "experts" say towards a "techno/trance" dance music, while some say we'll revert back to more of a "rock" style. Or could it all stay the same?

commercialism has changed music dramatically. nowadays, true talent is often overlooked in favor of "trendy" or more "marketable" music.

Wait, so you're saying that commercialism wasn't a factor in the music industry during say the middle of the 20th century? I can't believe that.

Commercialism has always been a part of the music industry, and is directly correlated to the rise of teenagers as consumers. You can see this decade by decade. I'll give the biggest examples. In the 1950s, a new thing called "rock and roll" got a shot in the arm when a guy named Elvis Presley started recording music. Sure, lots of older people and music executives were afraid of the controversy he seemed to create, but they warmed up to him quickly when they found out that he could sell records.

In the early-1960s, rock and roll was the dominant music genre in terms of appealing to teenagers. So, when a very derivative and generally unoriginal rock and roll band from Great Britain called "The Beatles" stormed the shores of America in 1964--and executives found that they could move units--those execs promoted them heavily. (A side note: just to show you how conservative these executives are, The Beatles were actually rejected by Decca Records because someone said that the "guitar band" fad was on its way out. Go figure) Anyway... of course, now we know that these guys evolved from an early incarnation of "the boy band" and into something more innovative. And all within a span of 5 years.

The 1970s? Disco.

Music executives have always been conservative in terms of finding new talent. But, there is often that rare instance when a musician or a band gets a break and evolves artistically.

So, again, "commercialism" is always a part of the music industry. But, I do think that it's much harder to get a hit record these days than say back in 1965. Why? Well, it's almost impossible to have a number one single without having a music video on MTV and VH1. Remember Christopher Cross? That guy won the Grammy for Best New Artist, but couldn't get anywhere once MTV got bigger (the guy wasn't that good looking).

So, if you want a hit record today, make sure you are extremely good looking and have a great video on MTV.

"I've got a question to pose to this group...
How do you feel music will evolve in the next 10 years? Many "experts" say towards a "techno/trance" dance music, while some say we'll revert back to more of a "rock" style. Or could it all stay the same? "

It seems foolish to think there will be any kind of dramatic change in the music industry. Techno has come and gone, people have been saying it will be the next big thing for about 6 years, it's not going to happen. Things will stay the same as they are.

As I already said, there's plenty of good music out there. People who only watch MTV and listen to commercial radio have no right to complain, they haven't even looked

It seems foolish to think there will be any kind of dramatic change in the music industry. Techno has come and gone, people have been saying it will be the next big thing for about 6 years, it's not going to happen. Things will stay the same as they are.
-- I must disagree to the bold (no pun intended) words you stated. There is still a lot of a techno influence on society. A lot of music soundtracks have been created with a techno sound base to them (eg: "Swordfish"). A lot of "techno" elements have been included in popular music as of late, especially in Europe.

By the by.. does this discussion pertain only to American music (as in the American channels and charts)?

Wait, so you're saying that commercialism wasn't a factor in the music industry during say the middle of the 20th century? I can't believe that.

got me wrong.

i'm simply saying (IMHO) that commercialism has changed music, in the last 20 years, more dramatically than it did before the last 20 years. there was no mtv until august 1, 1981. mtv took commercialism to a whole new level.

I like Rock, and it seems Rock is on the upswing. Bands like Nickelback, Stained, Puddle of Mud, with the guys who've been around like Aerosmith, STP, and Pearl Jam will help bring it to the fore-front. Of course, there will still have to be a big band to hit the scene. If we can just get the rock stars off the drugs, we could become mainstream.

I like Rock, and it seems Rock is on the upswing. Bands like Nickelback, Stained, Puddle of Mudd...
-- Unfortunately in my opinion, some of these bands have been tainted by success. Nickelback's second album, Silver Side Up, is a lot more "produced" than their debut, "The State". And Staind's second (technically third) album, "Break the Cycle" shows more music creativity but also more "popiness" than Dysfunction or Tormented. Although, I will admit, I still love them. But don't get me started on Korn, mmkay?

Okay, I gotcha, PiaS. I think we're thinking along the same lines, then.

It seems foolish to think there will be any kind of dramatic change in the music industry.

I can't really agree with this. This is like saying that everything that has been invented has already been invented. The kinds of popular music will change and those changes will become more evident once we distance ourselves from them with time.

I do think, however, that for a long time there hasn't been a breakthrough musical form that is radically different from anything we've heard. I still think the first "breakthrough" musician--a musician that made the most innovative foray into the industry--was Elvis Presley. Then, came The Beatles and Bob Dylan. Jimi Hendrix, The Who, and Led Zeppelin came shortly after. Then, I think it was The Sex Pistols and The Ramones. Run DMC and the rise of hip hop has been the last major innovation in the music industry.

And, no, I'm still not convinced that Nirvana are as influential as those artists I listed above.